Shanghai, China Nov 19, 2025  – The 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) is the first to be held after China broadened its zero-tariff policy to encompass all 53 African nations with which it maintains diplomatic relations. China has encouraged these nations to fully leverage this policy, which eliminates tariffs on all taxable items. Consequently, the number of African businesses participating this year has increased by 80% compared to last year.

“This is our first time participating in this event,” stated an employee of SONACOS, a Senegalese company specializing in the peanut and peanut oil trade. “We aim to utilize this significant platform to showcase our products. Fortunately, by the second day of the expo, numerous clients had already visited our booth and expressed interest in collaboration,” he added.

When asked about their motivation for attending the CIIE, many African exhibitors cited the vast market and abundant opportunities that China offers.

For a Zambian honey company, the CIIE has facilitated substantial growth, with exports increasing from less than one ton in 2018 to an average of approximately 20 tons annually. A Shanghai-based importer that previously purchased only one or two containers of coffee beans from Ethiopia each year now imports over 100 containers annually. A pineapple producer from Benin attracted considerable attention at the 6th CIIE, securing multiple cooperation agreements with Chinese companies, which not only guaranteed stable orders but also incentivized Chinese firms to invest in Benin, establish factories, and share advanced cultivation techniques and management expertise.

“At the CIIE, significant business deals can arise from brief conversations,” noted James Kimonyo, Rwanda’s ambassador to China. “Through trade between China and Africa, Chinese consumers are discovering novel and unique African products, while African countries are gaining new impetus for development, leading to tangible improvements in the livelihoods and incomes of local populations.”

According to China’s General Administration of Customs, China has been Africa’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years. Since December 2024, China has granted zero-tariff treatment to 100% of tariff lines for the least developed countries with diplomatic ties to China, including 33 African countries, making it the first major developing country and major economy worldwide to implement such a policy. This initiative has now been extended to benefit 53 African countries.